Attack on Downton: The Incident with the Gardener at Teatime
by flamingembersofmacaronhell
Summary: "Mr. Groves, he's been…" Anna trailed off, her hands gripping more tightly and her trembling becoming more violent than before. "He's...he's been eaten." /"Has he really? Well, quite an education for a gardener! I must say! What house? Perhaps I can write some references for…" / "No, Your Lordship, not Eton." The group brought their attention back to Anna. "Eaten. As in, devoured."
1. Cast of Characters

**Attack on Downton: The Incident with the Gardener at Teatime**

(Set during Season 1 of _Downton Abbey_. The manor and its grounds are now an isolated estate located behind the innermost Wall, Sina, in the _Attack on Titan_ universe.)

Cast of Characters

_Upstairs  
_Violet, the Dowager Countess of Grantham  
Robert, Earl of Grantham &amp; Cora, Countess of Grantham  
Lady Mary Crawley  
Lady Edith Crawley  
Lady Sybil Branson  
Matthew Crawley, Esq. (Heir Presumptive to the Earl of Grantham)  
Isobel Crawley (mother of Matthew Crawley)

_Below Stairs  
_Mr. Carson, Butler  
Mrs. Hughes, Housekeeper  
Mrs. Patmore, Cook  
Bates, Valet to Earl of Grantham  
O'Brien, Lady's Maid to Countess of Grantham  
Branson, Chauffeur  
Thomas, First Footman  
William, Footman  
Molesley, Footman/Valet to Mr. Crawley  
Anna, head housemaid (Baena's cousin)  
Gwen, housemaid  
Daisy, Scullery Maid

_Guests…Strange Guests  
_Julia  
Mercedes "'Cee", Leader of Squad Jaguar [Garrison]  
Baena, Member of Squad Jaguar [Garrison] (Anna's cousin)  
Fhalz, Member of Squad Jaguar [Garrison]  
Oliver, Member of Squad Jaguar [Garrison]  
Jean, Member of Squad Levi [Scouting Legion]  
Eve, Member of the Scouting Legion  
Erwin, Commander of the Scouting Legion  
Hanji, Scouting Legion Squad Leader

_* Eve Marks borrowed with kind permission from __Wings of Wax__, from her 'Survivor' saga.  
__** Characters from _Downton_ are based on the cast of Season 1. Those that are cannon from _Attack on Titan_ are from Season 1 of the anime (with OCs thrown in)._


	2. Chapter 1: What the Shit

**Chapter 1: What the Shit**

"I was surprised to get your letter!" Baena said as she followed her cousin into the bedroom.

"Well you know how Aunt Clarice doesn't trust the post," Anna chuckled. "I knew you'd be interested in what she found." She began to make her bed with swift and precise strokes.

"Are you sure we're allowed in here?" Mercedes chimed in as she joined them, running a hand through her ebony waves. She looked around the small, homely space that reminded her of her own bedroom at her grandmother's but was at a direct contrast to the outside of the mansion she'd seen on the ride in.

"Oh it'll be fine, I'm sure," Anna assured her, though her expression faltered a little when Mercedes eased herself tiredly onto her roommate's already-made bed. "That's why I suggested coming early, before I got started with the dailies. The house isn't down yet." She moved around to the other side of the bed and craned her neck to look out of the door. "Is your friend still downstairs?"

"Fhalz?" Baena asked. "Probably. Don't worry, he won't go far!" She made an excited noise and dashed to the gabled window, peering outside into the morning light. "Oh! 'Cee! Look how high up we are!"

Mercedes dragged herself back to her feet and trudged over. "Really? You're excited about being a story or two up? Baena you fly around at ten times this height on a regular basis." Nonetheless she stood on her toes in order to see out to humor her.

All around her was an expanse of green, from the gently-moving tree tops in the distance down to the precisely manicured lawn around the estate. She let her eyes roam, though tired, around the genteel yard below. She could just make out a line of hedges in the distance and a man, she presumed the gardener, pushing a wheelbarrow toward it. She sighed, dropping down to her heels. Peaceful, as most estates inside Wall Sina typically were. Peaceful, and altogether boring.

"I don't suppose you've ever been to Downton." Mercedes looked back over her shoulder at Anna who held her pillow in her hands. Her gray-blue eyes sparkled. "Would you like to take a walk around the estate? I'm sure His Lordship wouldn't mind."

"Oh! Could we? How fun!" Baena nearly bounced over to where her cousin stood, leaving Mercedes on the far side of the room. Though the familial connection had initially surprised her, when they stood side by side she could see the similarity in their coloring and facial structure, and even their build, though Baena was taller. She turned her attention again to the window.

"I don't see why not. He and Her Ladyship normally have a morning stroll, but His Lordship is always happy to have guests."

Mercedes' eyes grew wider as she looked onto the lawn. She stared harder. And then harder. Surely not.

"Oh!" she could hear Baena behind her, practically squealing. "Oh, 'Cee. Please! We could go to the gardens!"

She shook her head before she spoke, her brown eyes unblinking in mild surprise. "Uh…" she started, but Baena still squealed.

"Do you think they'd let us have some flowers? Our dorms could use some livening up."

"I don't think anyone is going for a morning walk, Baena."

"Started to rain, has it?" Anna patted the pillow a couple of times.

"Oh I hate the rain!" Baena moaned.

"No," Mercedes announced flatly, turning toward the girls and putting her hands on her hips. "Your gardener's just been eaten."

There was a small silence. "Sorry?"

"The gardener," Mercedes' voice remained matter-of-fact. "Eaten."

"Come again?" Anna's bemusement faded into wariness.

Mercedes settled a critical gaze on her, and then glanced at her squadmate, "She _does_ know about…"

Baena sucked air through her teeth. "Not exactly."

"Know about what?" Anna looked between them nervously.

Mercedes reached over and pulled Anna toward her, angling her to stand in front so she could see out of the window, but did not remove her grip on her arms. The young woman peered closer for a mere second before jumping violently on the spot with a yelp, her little hands flying to her mouth. Mercedes nodded to herself. "Apparently not. That," she clarified as Anna shook violently and mumbled in fear, "is a Titan. That's the reason you live behind a Wall."

"Those monsters are real?" Anna wept. "I thought...I thought it was a myth, a...a bedtime story for naughty children!"

Mercedes let Anna go and glanced out the window again. The three-meter class ambled away out of sight. "In your defense, they shouldn't be here. Unless there was a breach. Baena, go get Fhalz. Anna, we need to get everyone inside. Now." 

* * *

Anna stood pale and trembling before them all, her small frame made even smaller by the enormity of the grand library.

"So," an older, and seemingly imperious, woman spoke first of the vast group now gathered. "Why is it that we've all been summoned?" She wiggled her head in annoyance, and Mercedes watched the movement of the purple adornments of her hat. "And can someone please explain why, precisely, at such an ungodly hour?"

"Well, you see, Your Ladyship…" Anna gripped her hands before her. "It's the gardener."

"Groves?" a dark-haired woman asked with a small lift of her brow.

"Yes, Your Ladyship."

Mercedes frowned. How many Ladyships were there?

"Mr. Groves, he's been…" Anna trailed off, her hands gripping more tightly and her trembling becoming more violent than before. "He's...he's been eaten."

"Has he really?"

Mercedes turned to the, well, amused tone of who she assumed to be His Lordship's voice.

"Well, quite an education for a gardener! I must say! What house? Perhaps I can write some references for…"

"No, Your Lordship, not Eton." The group brought their attention back to Anna. "Eaten. As in, devoured."

The middle-aged gentleman turned, eyes wide, to his maid. "What?"

Mercedes stepped forward, "Very simple. You see, while you're all safe here in these fu-"

"Fun!" Baena chimed in. "Fun, and fulfilling, Walls, she means," she cut a sharp glance at Mercedes. "There are other...less fun and secure Walls around you. And I'm sure you all know that the Walls exist because of the Titans. To keep them out." Baena looked around at the shocked and compelled stares of the family. "Right?"

Mercedes let fall a beat of silence and then raised and dropped her hands. "They don't know. None of them have a clue."

"Mercedes -"

"Where have you been for the past few decades?" Mercedes raised her voice and it only confused - and appalled - them further. "Baena, I'm leaving. I'm going to make sure everyone is inside. You stay here and...explain." She turned on her heel and strode from the room.

Baena let out a nervous laugh and smiled at her cousin's frightened face. "Okay, everyone, quick briefing!" She pushed out a breath and continued happily, the words pouring quickly from her lips. "The Walls exist to keep out these giant flesh-eating, soulless giants called Titans. The Walls, and people like 'Cee and myself, keep you safe from them. They come in all shapes and sizes, like children - well, like horribly deformed and bloodthirsty children -"

"Oh, how dreadful," Edith said and looked to Sybil next to her.

Baena nodded nervously. "Yeah. Pretty much. Right now one's on your lawn, and ate your gardener. It will probably try to eat us, too. But don't worry! We're going to take care of it!"

"But you said they're not supposed to be able to get in the Wall?" Anna prompted.

"Right, they're not. There must have been a breach."

"So there will be more?"

"What about Cousin Isobel and Matthew?" Sybil's blue-green eyes searched her parents' faces. "Won't they be in danger, too?"

"Oh, Robert," Cora added. "Surely they must come here!"

"Honestly." Mary silenced the group with her exasperation. "Are we really to believe that some...fairy-tale creature...is tramping along the footpaths, snatching up our prized gardeners?"

"It did take us a while to find Groves," Violet chimed in. "Do you remember all those exhausting interviews?" she brought long fingers to her forehead. "It felt like it took years to hear ten times over the best way to rake the gravel. I thought it was going to be the end of me."

"I promise," Baena said, and clasped her hands in front of her as she gave a pleading expression to the ever-poised Mary, "they are no fairy-tale creatures. Please trust me. And Ms Violet, you may very well die today if we don't take this seriously. Oh look!" she pointed to the windows. "There it is now!"

The row of pale faces whipped around to see as a huge shadow blocked out the pleasant beams of morning sunshine. Jaws dropped; eyes widened even further. Gloved hands shot to mouths. Edith jumped to her feet and backed away a couple of steps as Mary and Sybil took each other's hand.

"Oh, there's 'Cee. Don't worry! Everything's fine!" Baena tried to be cheerful.

A large splash of bright blood spattered across the windows. The huge library echoed with cries of horror.

"See? It's fine." 

* * *

Hours later - hours that were filled with impromptu lessons and more tea than Baena thought necessary - an even larger group, one made of the family and their servants, crowded the Hall of the Abbey. A few younger maids cried softly, footmen whispered animatedly, and the more senior staff stood close together, as if comforting one another by mere proximity.

"What are we to do now?" Sybil sidled up to Baena. "Mama has asked Gwen and O'Brien to fetch blankets, and Cousin Isobel has offered any medical knowledge that we may need."

Baena peered over at the youngest daughter of the Earl. She looked like a paler version of Mercedes and Baena had to do a small double-take, but Sybil's gentility quickly dispelled all confusion.

"I do so want to help. Please."

She smiled at the girl's earnesty. "Fhalz and Oliver should be here soon." She answered. "We'll have more of a plan, then, I think. But thank you so much!"

Sybil smiled in return and moved back through the group toward her eldest, and least amused, sister and their cousin, Matthew.

Baena checked over everyone one more time and then slipped away toward the grand front door. Mercedes had taken up patrol outside and she wanted to check if anything else had been seen. Cautiously she opened the door and squinted into the light of the sunset. Not seeing anything, she stepped outside into the pleasant summer air.

"If you've come to get me to go back inside, I'm not. Not until they know something about...well, anything."

Baena looked up to find Mercedes perched on the decorative arch above the doorway, hanging on like an autumn leaf caught on the gray bark of a tree. "No, I've known you for too long. Need any help?"

Mercedes fell quiet and also squinted. "Well, that's great."

"What?"

"Fhalz and Oliver are here."

"Perfect!"

"But so is Julia."

"Your grandma's here? Oh yay!" Baena looked too and both saw and heard the approach of the horses.

"No. Not yay."

With the help of a line Mercedes hopped down from the arch and folded her arms over her chest. Baena waved. The horses slowed and then stopped. Oliver and Fhalz immediately dismounted, Fhalz continuing to look around for signs of any more Titans while Oliver helped Julia out of her saddle and received a pat on the shoulder in thanks. She drew an old broom out of a rifle holster in her saddle and used it to support her tiny frame and limping walk. The dark, gentle giant that was Oliver had an apologetic look on his face when he caught his squad leader's eye.

"Julia," Mercedes stated. "There's no need for you to be here."

"I needed a vacation. Don't look at me like that." She tugged playfully on Mercedes' braid as she passed.

Mercedes rolled her eyes and turned to Fhalz. "What did you see?"

The short auburn-haired teenager adjusted the glasses covering his stern blue eyes. "No breach from what we could tell. But there are more and they're headed this way. Night will slow them down. Hopefully. Everyone inside?"

"Yep."

"Good," Julia interrupted. "Let's go get a plan together."

"Julia -" Mercedes began, but the elderly woman pushed past her and into the foyer. The young squad followed her in earnest.

Robert and Cora approached the newcomers eagerly. "Ah, reinforcements!" Robert said, trying to form a smile.

Julia grinned, her wrinkles curling around her dark features. She peered up at them through her rat's nest of silver curls knotted on the top of her head.

"We're so, so happy to have you," Cora said, waving a hand toward the cluster of people huddled in the center of the hall.

Julia assessed the group for a moment, nodded once to herself, and seemed to decide that she had seen worse. She looked back at the elegant couple in front of her and lifted her eyebrows with a content smile. "Well!"

Robert and Cora watched the little woman expectantly.

"Direct me to the gear!" She lifted her broom.

Cora stuttered, the gems of her blue eyes blinking a couple of times. "I-I'm not sure -"

Mercedes stepped forward, putting a firm hand on Julia's arm.

Julia swiveled to take in her granddaughter's frustrated expression. "What?"

"You aren't going to like it."

"How do I know if I won't like it, if you won't tell me?"

Mercedes sighed. "No gear."

"What?"

"They don't have any gear," she repeated slowly, and clearly. "In fact," she tipped her head, "until a few hours ago, they weren't aware that Titans even existed."

Julia stepped back. "What?"

"They have no plan," Mercedes said, once again. "They have no gear. They have no clue."

Julia blinked for a moment, digesting Mercedes' words. She rotated slowly toward the perplexed, lamplit faces of the people - uniformed staff, finely-dressed and soft-looking gentry alike - who all looked to her for hope.

And Julia frowned. "What the shit." 

* * *

**A Note from the Authors:** Please let us know what you think! Welcome to the beginning of one crazy ride!


End file.
